Wire fence



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P. MAST. WIEE EENGE.

ANo. 448,061. l Patented Mar. 10, 1891.

' UNITED STATES muon.

PETER MAST, OF I ATERVILLE, OHIO.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part O` Letters Patent No. 448,061, dated. March 10, 1891. Application filed October 4, 1890. Serial No. 367,083. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER MAST, of Taterville, countyof Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVire Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in wire fences.

The object of the invention is to producea fence havingits parallel wires so braced lthat while spreading of the same from pressure, as by farm stock leaning against them, will be overcome, the wires will be free to yield to vertical pressure, and at the same time possess sufficient resiliency to resume their normal position when pressure is removed.

A further object is to overcome all tendency to buckling or breaking` of the supporting or re-enforcing wires.

A further object is to provide a sight-wire to render the fence visible at a distance. A final object is to produce a cheap, durable, and simple constructed wire fence.

iVith these objects in view the invention consists in the various novel details of con-v struction of a wire fence, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciication, and in which like numerals of reference indicate correspondin g parts, I have illustrated one form of fence, with modifications embodying the essential features of my invention, and in these drawings- Figure l is a front elevation of a section of fence constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified form of supporting-wire. Fig. 3 is a similar view of still another form. Fig. a

is a detail view of a preferred form of strand or wire to be used in the construction of myA improved fence, `and Fig. 5 is a similar view of a stay-rod to be used for supporting the fence intermediate the posts of each section.

Referring to one of the drawings, 1 designates one of the end posts of a section of fence,

which post is constructed, preferably, of a rectangular bar of metal having its flat sides to the wires, and 2 one of the intermediate posts, having its edge arranged to the wires. The posts are secured in the ground by means of anchor-plates 3, which are firmly bolted to the posts. These plates may be of any desired length and Width, and are sunk into the earth a suiicient distance to insure rigidity to the posts. The end posts are braced by means of a horizontal bar 4, one end of Which connects with the said post and the opposite end with a truss-brace 5, connecting with the post ata point'near its top. By this construction the end post will be so braced as to sustain etfectually the strain brought to bear upon it by taking up the wire at the intermediate sections. The wires are secured to the end post-s by giving them one or more turns around the same and then twisting the wire upon itself, and to the intermediate posts by means of plate 6, which are held in place by means of bolts 7. The wires at each end of the section are securedin pairs to a centrallyperforated plate 8, the central perforation being of a size to accommodate a threaded bolt 9 to be passed through the same and draw the two sections in the desired tension by means of nuts 10 upon the bolt-s.

Having thus briey described the different parts of the fence illustrated in the drawings in order to render easy an understanding of its construction, I will now proceed to describe what forms the essential feature of the invention. Before proceeding to explain its peculiarities it might be well to say that one great objection to woven-wire fences is a tendency to sagging on the part of one or more of the uppermost wires of a section from pressure exerted thereon by a habit peculiar to horsesnamely, that of resting or rubbing their necks on the top of a fence. Then the longitudinal wires of the felice are re-enforced by interwoven vertical strands, it frequently happens that these strands become buckled from the cause above stated, whereby one or more of IOO and labor to repair the damage. In the construction illust-rated herein I completely overcome these obstacles, for while I provide interwoven supporting or re-enforcing wires, I so arrange them as to admit ot' one or all of the longitudinal wires being bent down to their limit without any possibility of buckling the said su pporting-wires. In the accomplishment of this result I employ a series of apeXiform or angular shaped wires II, the ends of which are secured to the top wire ofthe fence, while the apexes l2 extend, preferably, midway between top wire and that immediately below it. To the second wire is secured another series of similarly-shaped wires I3, the apeXes let of which interlock with those of the wires 1I, so as to form a connection which cannot be separated by lateral or vertical pressure, but which will be free to move downward or upward. Frein the second wire depends another series I5, which extend down and through which passes the third wire 16 of the fence, and from the fourth wire extends another series 17, which interlocks both with the wire I6 and angular wire l5, this order being kept up throughout the remaining wires ot the fence-that is, every alternate wire carries the angular wires, while the intermediate wire is interlocked by the two series of supporting-wires; but it is obvious that, it desired, I may employ the same order throughout the entire fence. In order to render the fence more effective in turning stock, I diminish the distance between the wires as they approach the bottom, and also provide a sight wire or strip 18, which is ot a width to be visible at a distance, so as to prevent stock from running against the fence.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated a moditied form of supporting-wire. In this case the interlocking feature is carried out only with the first tive or six wires, while the lower wires are re-enforced by vertical interwoven strands 19. In Fig. 3 I have illustrated still another way of supporting the longitudinal wires. In this instance the interlocking series are formed with tongues 20, which are interlocked in the same manner as those illustrated in Fig. I.

In order to support the felice intermediate the posts, I provide a vertical support 2l, formed in two part-s 22 and 23, having a pivoted connection with each other. The lower part 22 is driven into the ground, while the upper part 23 is secured to the top wire. By this construction the fence can have lateral movement between the posts without loosening the bottom of the support in the ground, while at the same time sagging of the wire will be prevented.

In Fig. 4f I have illustrated the form ot' strand employed in my fence, which consists of two or more wires twisted to form a ropelike structure, by means of which I provide a strand ot great strength and yet light and durable.

From the foregoing description the advantages ot` my fence will be apparent. It will be seen that all possibility of buckling or breaking the supporting-wires will be overcome as the peculiar manner of interlocking the same will admit of perfect freedom of movement, While all strain is removed therefrom.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In a wire fence, the combination, with the parallel strands, of a series of loop-shaped supporting-wires, the ends of each of the said wires in a series being secured to the same strand, and the loop portions interlocking with the similar portions of a series of supportingwires carried by one of the other strands. v

2. In a wire fence, the combination, with the parallel strands, of a series of wire loops, the ends of one loop being attached to one strand and its middle portion passed over an adjacent strand and interlocking with it and with the loop on one oi' the other strands.

-In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER MAST.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WEBSTER, R. INI. ELLIOTT. 

